Tracer for profiling machines



Nov. 18, 1941. Q M. TURCHAN 2,263,110

' TRACER FOR PROFILING MACHINE I Filed April 1, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet l INV EN TOR MANUEL TURCHA B Y v M ATTORNEY Nov. 18, 1941. I M. TURCHAN 2,263,110

TRACER FOR PROFILING MACHINE Filed April 1, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Wig INVENTOR BY MANUEL TURGHAN irmfik ATTO EY NOV. 18, 1941. TURQH AN 2,263,110

' I TRACER FOR PROFILING MACHINE Filed April 1, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 H INVENTOR MANUEL TURCHAN BY 32 H Patented Nov. 18,

UNITED A STATES PATENT. OFFICE TRACER FOR Pnormnc MACHINES Manuel Turchan, Dearborn, Mich. Application April 1, 1938, Serial No. 199,482

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to tracers for pattern controlled hydraulically actuated duplicating machines.

Among the objects of the invention is a tracer which shall be relatively simple in construction but sensitive to minute variations in the surface of the pattern and active to cause cutter movement to reproduce such variations.

Another object is a tracer suitable for use in either horiozntal or vertical machines with -minor alteration.

Another object is a tracer of the type indicated in which the fluid flow is controlled by a valve which is subjected only to balanced pressures and therefore moves with a minimum tendency to jam.

Still other objects and advantages will be apparent from reference to the following. description and the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a view'in elevation of one form of a duplicating machine showing one method of use of the tracer.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical section through one form of the tracer.

Figure 3 is a vertical section of the tracer.

Figure 4 is a plan view of a detail of the construction of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of another detail of the construction of Figure 3.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in Figure 1 a duplicating machine comprising a vertical spindle milling machine consisting of a standard I0 upon which is mounted a work table II arranged for horizontal and vertical movements. In the present instance, the horizontal movement of table II is accompanied by the conventional gearing, worms, etc., (details of which are not shown), while the vertical shifting movement is accomplished by hydraulic means shown as cylinders I2 supplied with pressure fluid through the pipes I3 and I4 which lead through of another form a laterally projecting arm 2| upon which is mounted the tracer I5.

In operating such a machine, a roughly shaped work piece 20 are secured to the work table II, the former occupying the same relative position to tracer I5 as the latter occupies to cutter 21.

With the pattern and workpiece in position and with the pump operating, when the table II is moved horizontally, contact of the tracer with the pattern will control the hydraulically produced vertical movement. As indicated above, this control is through valve means actuated by the tracer finger to regulate or cut oil flow of fluid to or from the lower part of cylinders I2.

A simple form of the tracer controlling element is shown in Figure 2, which shows a cylindrical casing formed of a lower spindle supporting section I30, having a passage therethrough for the spindle I3I, the passage being sufliciently large to permit a small lateral movement of the spindleand being surrounded by an inwardly projecting conical I3I is providedwith a mating conical flange |3|0I adapted to rest upon the part Ia with interposed antifriction balls I30b, maintained in their ripheral grooves I49a, I491;

the tracer I5 from a pump enclosed within tank I proper location by a suitable cage I3I b.

The upper end of spindle I3I is also provided with a cone shaped flange I40 opening upwardly for a purpose to be described. Fixed upon the upper end of section I30 is a cylindrical valve member I45 provided with and I49c having ports leading to the three conduits I4, I5 and I0 respectively.

Within the part I45 is a second valve member I in the form of a cylindrical member having a web I6I provided with a conical portion shaped to nest into the part I40 of the spindle with interposed antifriction balls I62 maintained in their proper location by a suitable cage I63. This valve member I60 is provided with two circumferential grooves 60a and 60b separated by a. rib slightly less in width than the groove 9b in member I45. Valve member I60 is maintained in its relation to the spindle I3I by means of a spring I10 acting between it and a suitable adjusting screw I'I2 located in a cover member I73 shown as fixed in the top of member I45. The operation of the tracer is as follows: When the tracer point member strikes an obstruction tending to move it either laterally or upward, either motion. of the finger will cause the spindle to move the :valve member I60 upportion I300, while the spindle three internal pe a pattern 25 and wa rdly he to the conical members |36a, ma,

I46 and web |6|.

In the position shown, since the rib between grooves 66a and 66b is slightly narrower than groove I461), pressure fluid from the pump through conduit M will pass into the several grooves I46a, 66a, l46b, 66b, I460, in order, and then out through conduit |6 to the tank.

When, however, the valve I66 is moved upward, flow i'rom groove 66a to groove |49b is cut off and fluid already in the cylinder flows back through 66b to M60 and to conduit l6'and to the tank. Ii on the other hand, the point In drops free or starts to move away from an obstruction, the valve I66 will drop below the position shown and open communication between conduit l4 from the pump to groove |49b and conduit l3 leading to the cylinders l2.

This arrangement of the tracer and conduits provides a control suitable for a machine set-up as indicated in Figure 1. I1, however, it is desired to have the tracer and cutter move to and from the work. the pressure fluid should be supplied to conduit I6 and the drain should be from conduit l4.

Another and preferred form of tracer is shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5.

vbod! 36 having axially arranged therein a spindle 3| of suificlent length to extend some distance from the lower end of said body, the free end being provided with means for attaching a pattern contacting piece 32 of substantially the same dimensions as the cutter 2|. At substantially the lower end of the body 30, the spindle is mounted in an antifriction bearing 33 so constructed as to permit the spindle to swing about a center which coincides with the center of the bearing 33, while the spindle is supported by a shoulder 34 resting upon the bearing. At its upper end, the spindle is provided with an accurately centered conical member 40 and below this conical member with an oil shield 4|, the purpose of whlch'is explained later.

At the top of body 36 is fixed a cylindrical valve member 46 shown in detail in Figure'5. As indicated, this consists of a cylinder having near its upper and lower ends, peripheral grooves 46 and 41 respectively, each provided with a plurality of narrow passages 46a and 41a passing through the wall of the cylinder to the inside thereof.. And each of the grooves 46 and 41 is also provided with one or more lateral enlargements or bays 46b and 41!) respectively, near the extreme end of which is a through passage 46c and 410 respectively.

Further, between the grooves 46 and 41 and between bay 46b and 41b the cylinder is provided with a chamber 46, not in communication wlthelther groove but having passages 48a and 46b through the cylinder wall at the top and bottom respectively, of the chamber.

It should be noted that all of the passages 41a are in alignment and the same is true of the passages 460. It should also be noted that passages 46a and 46?) are located one on either side of the line of passages 46c and 410. Further, each of the several lines of passages opens into an internal narrow groove of which thereare six, 46a, 46b, 46c, 46d, 46c, and 49f.

This member 46 is conveniently fixed to the top of body 30 although it may be integral therewith, if desired, and surrounding it is a cover member 66 for the grooves 46 and 41 and for chamber 46, which member is provided with threepassages, II. 62 and 63, communicating with groove 46, chamber 46 and groove 41 respectively.

Within the member 46 and arranged with a close sliding fit is a movable valve member 66 provided with tour peripheral grooves 66a, 66b, 66c, and 66d, each of about twice the width of one of the through passages and inner grooves in member 45.

This valve member 60 is provided with a web 6| having a downwardly directed conical portion or the same angularity as the cone 46 on the spindle and nesting therein with 'nterposed antifriction balls 62, a suitable spacer or cage 63 being used to maintain the balls in proper location.

11 the tracer is to be used in a vertical position as indicated in Figures 1 and 2, it is desirable in addition to the parts already described, to add within the body 36 a suitable weight supporting spring 65 which is shown as acting between a suitable abutment such as the pin or plate 66 fixed to the spindle 6| and a thrust bearing 61 carried in the lower end of body 36.

If the tracer is to be used in a horizontal position, it is necessary to provide means holding the spindle and valve member 60 together. In such cases, a light spring 10 is used on top of valve member 66 and this is conveniently mount- 4 ed upon a guide rod 1| threaded into member 60 and passing out through an adjusting screw 12 in the cover member 13.

In the construction of the valve members 66 and 45, the small interior grooves 49a and 49d have the same function as the groove |66a in Figure 2, while grooves 491) and 49e have the same function as groove |49b of Figure 2 and grooves 490 and 49f function like groove M of Figure 2, these several grooves being connected in pairs as stated, by the bays 46b, 41b and chamber 46.

In this figure (Fig. 3) the conduit l4 will be connected to passage 52, the conduit l3 to passage 5'| and the conduit l6 to passage 53.

This construction functions in exactly the same fashion as the somewhat simpler construction of Figure 5, but since the several grooves and channels are connected at a plurality of points around the periphery of the valve members, the pressure will be equalized and all unbalanced side pressures eliminated.

Since the tracer of Figure 3 is designed primarily for use in machines in which the cutter and tracer move to and from the work and pattern, the pressure fluid will ordinarily be supplied to passage 63 and the exhaust will be from passage 5|. In such mounting the rod 1| furnishes a convenient hand control to cause the tracer and cutter to move away from their contacts. If this movement is desired, the rod H is lifted to move the valve 66 upwardly. This of course closes the grooves connected to passage 52 and allows the pressur fluid free passage from the passage 63 to the passage 6| and to the cylinders which move the tracer and cutter. I

In the vertical mounting of the tracer, as shown in Figure 3, any fluid escaping from be tween the valve members is prevented from running down the spindle by the shield 4| from which it drips into the trough Ma and is drained out through a passage 4|b. Such draining is accomplished in the form shown in Fig. 2 through the action of member |3|a and drain I.

What I claim is:

A tracer actuated fluid control device for protiling machines having a pilot and mechanically operated means for moving the work and cutter relatively in one direction and hydraulically operated means for moving said parts relatively in a direction at right angles to the first movement, said control device consisting of a pilot carrying spindle, a shell into which said spindle extends, said shell being provided with a plurality of independent internal peripheral grooves and with independent external peripheral grooves each communicating with a group or said internal grooves, an outer shell surrounding said first 

